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Greenpeace ship to Bali: last chance for
governments to set it right at the summit
Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 15 May 2002:
The Greenpeace ship the MV Arctic Sunrise will take activists to
witness the Bali preparatory meeting for the Johannesburg Earth
Summit, which begins in a fortnight's time.
The meeting looks set for failure as the negotiating
text for the summit, published late last week by Summit Chair Emil
Salim, contains little potential for a meaningful outcome. This
text is set to be negotiated at the Bali meeting which is the final
preparatory meeting for the summit and begins on May 27 and runs
for two weeks.
“This new text lacks ambition, vision, and
most importantly it lacks commitment to stem the destruction and
impoverishment which has continued over the past 10 years despite
all of the promises made at the last Earth Summit in Rio. The failure
to include concrete targets and timetables for action on sustainable
development defeats the entire purpose of the Summit,” said
Greenpeace political director Remi Parmentier.
The UN General Assembly explicitly agreed that
the summit would ensure “renewed political commitment”
and real “support for sustainable development”, but judging
by the current negotiating document, UN member states are on the
verge of reversing their own decision. The new text omits the few
targets and timetables for action that appeared in earlier versions,
relying on voluntary agreements with corporations in the hope that
these will somehow deliver the necessary change.
“Governments are abdicating their responsibility
to the private sector. The role of government is to protect the
public welfare,” said Parmentier.
Greenpeace, along with many other NGOs, has worked
constructively on the summit for over a year now, viewing with increasing
alarm the influence of the US, Australia, Canada and their OPEC
allies, particularly in relation to their attempts to prevent meaningful
action to provide clean, renewable energy to two billion of the
world’s poorest people who currently have no access to modern
energy services.
“What possible excuse can these countries
have to stand in the way of the renewables revolution which is needed
to halt dangerous climate change, and provide safe, clean energy
for all?” Steve Sawyer, Climate Policy Advisor for Greenpeace
International.
Greenpeace views the final preparatory meeting
in Bali as the last chance for Government Ministers to make the
Summit a success.
“We’ll be there to encourage ministers
to do the right thing, but if they don’t they won’t get
away with it,” said Parmentier.
The Greenpeace ship, MV Arctic Sunrise, will arrive
at the Bali meeting on or around 29th May.
More information
Greenpeace
analysis of the Chairman’s text
Media contacts
Contact Remi Parmentier +31 653504702, or +34 637557357
Steve Sawyer +31 653504715
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